Westbound I-255 at the Jefferson Barracks Bridge was closed Sunday for emergency repairs. It’s not clear when one or more of the lanes could reopen. MoDOT is in the process of assessing cracks found in steel beams that connect the arches on the westbound span of the bridge.

The other situation MoDOT is addressing was a storm grate that collapsed on westbound I-44 near Grand. The grate will need to be replaced. MoDOT hopes that can be done by Tuesday but until it’s replaced there will be only one of the westbound lanes of I-44 that will remain open near Grand.

MoDOT District Engineer Tom Blair said, “What I want everyone to understand, especially those citizens who drive from Illinois into Missouri for work or coming to school, that westbound I-255 at Jefferson Barracks is closed and will remain closed Monday and westbound I-44 at Grand is basically closed, we only have one lane open.”

I-255 has been closed from Illinois Rte. 3 in Columbia, to Koch Road, in St. Louis County. Traffic should use one of the following bridges to cross into Missouri: Stan Musial Veterans Memorial, New Chain of Rocks and the McKinley Bridge.